We begin at the offices in Rock Ridge Yard as Sir Neal discusses the inbound trains today. It seems both trains have special dignitaries aboard, but will not elaborate...
The yard crew needs to move some freight cars around to make room for both trains.
AP MP15 #105 has Dan in the cab. The pair of AP MP15's #106/107 has Kai running this duo. These engines are the primary yard switcher who work Rock Ridge Yard.
Dan starts some of the moves..
First yard move..
Next yard move...
The engines are now in position to work the inbound trains. Since there are 2 sets of ladder yard tracks, both engineers can work the trains from both north and south ends of the yards.
Kai has parked his engines on the A/D tracks of Rock Ridge Yard. For those of you not familiar with Rock Ridge Yard, it has 6 east ladder tracks and 6 west ladder tracks. In addition, it has 3 complete arrival / departure tracks plus one additional track to use if there's now freight on the 'D' track which serves American Hardware, PC Richard & Son or ShopRite. That won't happen on this inbound series...We now see a Penn Central Train approaching West Harold Tower. Let's see which train it is..
Well, tower operator 1:87 Bob let the cat out of the bag. The engineer is 1:87 PC Ralph whose making a surprise visit to the APRR to celebrate PCCM 100! I'm sure by now word has spread throughout Rock Ridge Yard.
Extra 3111 is now at the Rock Ridge Yard limits and awaits 1:87 NJ John to give him the signal to proceed into the yard..
Signal is up..
And moments later the yard crew greets Ralph! Welcome to Rock Ridge Yard PC Ralph!!
Ralph will take his engines to the engine terminal where they will be serviced and he'll be given a tour of the facility. The engines will be moved to the yard limit and once his train is sorted in the yard, they'll give him back the caboose and send him out...
The yard crew will start to sort train 3111. This is the inbound train from West Mill on the Kings Port Division via Weehawken.
Cavendish Foods sent the Morton Covered Hopper down to get filled at Morton Salt. The Empire Belt gondola came from KP Steel and will head over to Shapeless Steel.
A couple of loaded coal hoppers from the LV coal connection will head over to R.M.O. Electric. Despite the warm weather, there's a steady use of coal to power Rock Ridge and the surrounding area...
KP&W 15638 will head over to American Hardware with bricks from the Port Owen Brick Co. with bricks.
A pair of KP&W 50' box cars from Quality Fabrications will head to Ideal Auto Parts with auto accessories and a trio of 40' Hi-Cube Box cars for Three Amigos Warehouse from Peerless Appliances. This warehouse serves many industries in and around Rock Ridge and is a huge strorage facility...
Some more coils from KP Steel for Shapeless Steel..
...And let's not forget the Swift & Co. reefer from Lawrence, MA for C&P Restaurant Supply with a car load of frozen meats...
Now that train 3111 has been sorted, the crew can add the caboose to Ralph's engines and get ready for the next inbound train...
Kai has dropped the caboose so that Ralph can add it to his engines...
Kai gets some updates as he needs to be on the other track adjacent to the inbound track for Rock Ridge. The new tracks give the yard crews more flexibility in working freight and building outbound trains...
Ralph is waiting for some orders to proceed, so he waits...
Now Kai is in position...
The next inbound train is approaching...
...And tower operator Bob announces it's PC Extra Train 1650 from Terminal Yard with 1:87 Sir John at the throttle!! Sir John picked up a set of F7 ABA engines at Selkirk to bring this train to Rock Ridge. The APRR has never had any of these engines on the property, so it will be a treat for everyone to see!!
Sir John awaits the signal...
...And slowly proceeds to the yard...
...Where he stops to chat to tower operator Rick and told to wait a few as the yard crew is wrapping up the sorting from the earlier train...
The last set of freight cars are moved and new Extra 1650 can proceed into the yard...
Let's watch Extra 1650 arrive in Rock Ridge Yard. Welcome to Rock Ridge Sir John!!
Now that Sir John has brought in the train, the yard crew will start to sort the train in the yard...
A quick view of some photos taken by 1:87 Norman (the official APRR photographer) shows some covered hoppers from the Pier 16 Solos for Cargill with grain, some EB box cars for American Harware from Walsh Steel Wool Co. The BAR reefer will be dropped at ShopRite and the EL reefer will head to C&P Restaurant.
There's 4 PS-2 covered hoppers from T&R Gravel loaded with sand that will head over to the Richmond Hill Engine Terminal to be used as diesel sand for traction on the wheels...
Those 86' Auto parts box cars from the Ford Plant in Bedford will be taken over to Ideal Auto Parts to get loaded with auto parts and electronics and sent back in a future PCCM...
The yard crew in action...!
Those snappy looking AP &EB Hi-Cube box cars from Speed Queen will head over to PC Richard & Son with appliances...
Kai will pull the caboose and add it to Sir John's engines before he leaves for the engine terminal to get serviced and given a tour of the facilities along with PC Ralph....
Kai and Dan are finished for today...
Sir John is ready to depart...
A meet at the yard limit!
...And they're off to the engine terminal!!
Next stop, Richmond Hill Engine Terminal!! Here we go!!
That's all for today. Tomorrow we'll watch the yard crew start to get the inbound freight delivered to some of the consignees in the Rock Ridge Industrial Area...
Thanks for reading!!
